Stab-Resistance
Levels

The National
Institute of Justice, rates body armor on resistance to hand-delivered
stab threats  NIJ Standard 0115.00. Slash threats have been
found much easier to defeat than stab, and thus are not specifically
addressed by this Standard.

Maximum penetration
of 0.28" / 7mm is allowed as serious injury is extremely unlikely
with such a shallow wound. Also an "Overtest" is applied,
to push the breaking point of the armor, where 0.79" / 20mm of
penetration is allowed.

Testing is done
in two different categories of threat  high quality commercial
knives, called "Edged Blade" aka Stab, and ice pick, prison-style
improvised "Spike" weapons. So stab vests are rated in two
categories, "Edged Blade" or Stab and "Spike"
and can be rated for either or both categories.

The Levels were
derived from a study where several stabbing techniques of a male attacker
were tested for the force generated. In general, Level 1 is designed
to handle 85% of force levels encountered, Level 2, 90% and Level
3, 96%.

NO Armor is
100% Stab-PROOF

A 'stab-proof'
vest will protect you from the vast majority of hand-delivered knife
and / or spike threats you are ever likely to face. But there is always
a tradeoff between more protection and more wearability (and the constraint
to stay within your budget). Please know that:

axes, hatchets,
adzes, digging picks, etc.

claw hammers,
crowbars, etc.

bayonets mounted
on rifles

spears, lances,
etc.

unusually strong
pressure or force behind the stab blow

and/or other
unusual weapons or situations...

CAN defeat
any Stab-Resistant body armor.

Also, at some
angles weapons can slide, or deflect off the edges of Body Armor.
Furthermore, impacts that are successfully stopped by the vest will
always produce some level of injury, resulting in severe bruising,
broken bones, and possibly serious internal injury or even death.
Stab-Resistant vests defeat most common threats, but NO vest on earth
makes you invulnerable. To state the obvious,
getting stabbed ALWAYS carries some risk.

By buying a
vest you assume ALL risks of use or misuse, and agree not to hold
us liable in any way. In addition, YOU are responsible to ensure
that your ballistic and stab-resistant panels are positioned inner
side IN, and outer side OUT if applicable (check the inside vest panel
labels).